Cotton-picking machine.



PATENTED SEPT. 17, 1907.

x .LPQAPPLEBl COTTON PIGKING MACHINE.

.APPLICATION FILED AUG. 15.1906.

UNITED STATES PATENT omnes.'

JOHN APPL BY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO DIXIE COTTON PICKER COBIPANY,

OF REDFIELD, SOUTH DAKOTA, A CORPORATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA. v

yCOTTON-E'lCKIIhIG: MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 1'?, 1907'.

Application filed August 15,1906. Serial N0.i330!743 l oi (look and State of Illinois, have invented a certain I5 my United States Patent No. 798,651, dated September 5-r06. In the said patent I have employedeI spur pinion or gear fast upon each shaft of a picker column, which picker column is in gear with a plurality of picking fingers.. This gear is adapted for intermittent (though, preferably indirect) driving con-- nection with the segmental rack, that is preferably substantially stationarily mounted, this rack being so positioned that the driving cminection thereoi with said pinion andlike pinions oi other picker columns is effected just before the picking fingers are thrust into the cotton bushes, so that the picking fingers are rotated While they are within the bushes, such rotation ceasing after the cotton, picking fingers are withdrawn from the range ofthe bushes, owing to the separation oi the driving connection between said pinions and said rack. In my said patent I have shown hoW the picking fingers are preventedfrom rotation when they are net in driving connection with the segmental rack, there being shown in the said patent a delay element for this purpose, which is concentric withthe segmental rack and. Whichaffords a smooth peripheral track with which blocks fixed with respect te picker operating pinions, engage. r

I found in practice that in the course of time the blocks'are liable to Wear depressions near the entering end oi the delay element in the peripheral track afforded thereby-'and t0 overcomethis objection I have provided a mounting,-wl1ich While substantially permitting the delay lelement to be stationarily located, also permits said delay element to yield when it is impinged upon by a block entering the track afforded thereby. This yielding action will'prevent the we ar that I have mentioned, and inasmuch as it is only the entering portion of the delay element which isto be guarded against the impact of the entering blocks, I desirably iormtlie said delay element in sections, one of which is preferably rigidly mounted, while the companion section, which is the entering section of thei'delay element, is permitted to yield slightly. This entering section of the delay element is desirably-ormed of very tough metal, such as chilled steel, solas still further to reduce the probability of wear.

I will explain my invention more' fully by reference. to the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure I is a side view of so much of a Cotton picking machine including the device of my invention as is necessary to an understanding of the invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan View on lino'2 2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3

is a sectional view on line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig'. 4 is a 65 detail view of certain parts of the mechanism illustrated/in Figs. *l and 2.

Like parts vare indicated by similar characters oi reference throughout the 'different figures.

The invention is shown as applied to that type of cotton picking machines which is primarily adapted to the picking of short staple cotton and in which the cotton picking fingers travel in vertical planes bodily longitudinally of the machine, though I do not wish to be limited to the precise type of machine in connection with which my invention has been illustrated. Picker columns (portions l of which are indicated) are disposed horixontally, and each carries an operating shaft 2 that serves to drivethe picking fingers 3, as

`will appear, the angular positions of these fingers being 'determined by any suitable mechanism, such `as-tlirtt 'indicated in my aforesaid patent, and as such positioning means forms no novel part of my present invention,

I will n ot further describe the'same. Each picker shaft is provided with a pinion 4, that is driven by a v master pinion 5, each master pinion operating two` pinions 4, there being thus grouped together three piinions as a unit and adapted for coperative relation with the segmental gear 6. The pinion 5 is preferably ai compound pinion desirably including a supplcmpntal pinion element 7 fixed with respect to'fhe I A clement 5 and itself adapted to mesh or operatively engage the segmental gear 6. There are, thus, twice as manypinious 4 and twice as-many picker columns as there `are pinions 5. 'Each compound pinion 5, 7 95 haslrigidiy secured thereto au arresting biockhS, which bleek, by engaging the peripheral track afforded by the iielay elementi), serves to prevent rotation of the picking fingers until Saidl block has left the delay clement and has resumed its driving connection with 10Q the segmental gear 6. The gearing 4, 5, 6 and 'i causes a very high rate of rotation of the picking fingers about their own axes without theemployment of a large sup-` plemental rack 6, by which mechanism a very com-4 pact construction may be contained within a small 105 space, all as set forth iii my aforesaid patent.

As indicated in my aforesaid patent, the picker columns are bodily rotated in a direction corresponding to the d ircction indicated by the arrow in Fig l in the accompanying drawing; thai is', the picker columns Il() travel bodily in n Clockwise direction when viewed from the right hand side ot' thc harvester. so that the axes oi the .fingers may occupy snbstantially fixed vertical positions while the harvester is traveling' ahead and the lingers arc rotatingr in the bushes. At'ter the lingers leave the bushes, the rotation thereof' about their axcsisprevented, which result is occasioned by the engagement, ot the blocks 8 with the smooth peripheral track afforded by the delay clement tl. nud in order that, there may not. be such violentI impact between the delay clement und the blocks S as to cause wearing of the blocks 8, the Said delay element is caused to yield. inasmuch as this result is only needed upon the initial engagement oi'lthe blocks with thedelay element, said delay element. is l'ormed insections, the section il' being pivoted at l0 and having a springbacking l l preferably formed ol' a coil springhaving n. rigid abutment. lint one curb-and pressiugthesee tion 9 outwardlyat. the outercnd, thetwo sections being so related that. thc section ol' the element companion to the section 9 will limit the outward movement ot' said section 91, so that the peripheral curve oi the track may have a common center throughout. When a block 8 impinges upon the section tl', said section yields suiiiciently (and the extent oi the yielding movement. may be comparatively slight.) to prevcul the said blot-k ironrinjuring the section, which result` is promoted by forming the section ll o1' metal that will hot readily wear.

It need hardly bc stated that one ol the purposes l'or stopping,r the rotation of' the lingers about their axes, is to enable the cotton to be readily removed from said A fingers.

. Patent No. 788,512, dated I have indicated a spring'fcushion i3 for the gear ti, so that said gear may slightly yield, but as this characteristic is broadly claimed in my United States y 2, i005, I will not go into further details respecting the same, except to note that the s1 in'br i3 has engagement at one end with the lugr i4 provided upon the gear fi and at the other end has engagement with the stationary abutment. i5.

in the claims i use the word segmental or secti'onal as applied to the operatingr rack ti, not meaning thereby to deiine the shape of said rack, but to imply that the rack is not a continuous rack, or, in other words, that it is not in driving)r relation with the picking lingers throughout the range ot' travel oi' said lingers.

While I have herein shown and particularlydescribed the preferred embodiment l' my invention, it is obvious that changes may be made without departing from thc Spirit thereof, but,

Having thus des( ibed my invention. I claim'as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patental. A cotton picking machine including a plurality of bodily traveling cotton pickingr fingers, gearing,r t'or eiecting the rotation ot" said lingers about their own axes, and means l'or checking the driven elements. of said gearing including :1 yieldingly mounted delay element, to check the axial rotation of said fingers.

L. A cotton picking machine including :t plurality of bodily travelingr cotton picktng'tingers, gearing forv eticct` ing the rotation of said fingers about their own axes, said gearing includingTl n segmental or sectional rack, undgenr elements affording drivingv connection between said rack andthe fingers, and means for checking.; the driven elements of said gearing including n yicldingly mounted delay element to check Vthe nxinl rotation of said fingers.

Il. cotton pickin;r machine including;r a plurality ol bodily traveling; cotton pickim; lingers. curingr for ell'cctin.;lv the rotation of said lingers about their own axes. said l ;eariuf.: includingV a segmental or secton'nl ruck. and gear elements :itl'ording' driviui,r connection between said rack ,and the fingers. nud means t'or chcckilrcY the driven ele4 mentsot said ,geni-in.: including.l :i ylcldinely mounted del:4

ea .h group ot' elements driven by flul sectional rack bein;r ,provided with a block that rides upon the delay clement.

for tlnI purpose stated.

4. cotton pickin;y machine including a 'plurality of bodily traveling cotton picking' fingers. :rearing for effectim.;- the rotation ot said lfingers about their own axes, and means for checkimr the driven elements of said gearing including;l n dcluy element to check the axial rotation of said ihgers. said delay elcmeutbeing formed in relatively movable sections. s

5. cotton picknc.: machine includim.: a plurality of bodily travelingr cotton picking fingers. gearing for cicct ing' the rotation ot" said fingers about their own axes, said ecurinp: including' n segmental or sectional rack, and gear elements affording driving connection between said rack :ind the ting-ers. und means for checking the driven ele ments oi' said cearlng: includim.r a delay element to check tornied in relatively movable sections.

tl, cotton picking machine including a plurality of bodily travelingr cotton picking tingers, gearing for effect-l ing the rotation of said tine-ers about their own axes, said :cai-innr including a segmental or sectional rack, and gear elements atlording driving connection between said rack und the fingers, and means tor checking the driven elements oi said gearing includingV a delay clement to check the axial rotation ol said fingers, said delay element being formed in relatively movable sections. each group of elements driven by the sectional rack beim,r provided' with a. block that rides upon the delay element for the purpose stated.

7. cotton picking machine including,Y 'i plurality 0f bodily traveling;l cotton picking tingers, gearing for cicctinty the rotation oi' said lingers about their own axes, and means for checkim.,Y the driven elements of suld gearing including,r n delay element t0 check the axial rotation of said fingers, said delay element being iornied in relatively movable sections, one ot' said sections beine: vieldingly mounted.

S. A cotton picking machine including n plurality of bodily traveling cotton picking lingers, gearing for eccting,r the rotation of said fingers about their own axes, said gearing: including a segmental or sectional rack, and gen1* elements affording: driving connection between said rack and thc fingers, and means for checking the driven elcments of said gearing,r including a delay element to check the axial rotation of said fingers, said delay clement being formed in relatively movable sections, one of said sections being yieldingly mounted.

t). A cotton picking machine including n plurality of bodily traveling cotton picking fingers. gearing for effectinty the rotationot' said fingers about their own axes, said gearing including a segmental or sectional rack, and gear elements atfordim,r driving connection between said rack and the fingers, and means for checking the 'driven elements of said gearing including a delay element to check the axial rotation of said iingers, said delay element being formed in relatively movable sections, one of said sections being,Y yieldingly mounted, each lgroup ot elements driven by the sectional rack being, provided with n block that rides upon the delay element for the purpose stated.

it). cotton picking machine including a plurality of bodily traveling cotton picking fingers, gearing for effectim; the rotation of said fingers about their own axes, and means for checking the driven elements of said gearing including n delay element to check the axial rotation of said lingers, said delay clement being {oi-mcd in relatively movable sections, the section oi the delay element that is first engaged to check the rotation of the fingers being yieldingly mounted.

11. A .cotton picking machine including a plurality ot bodily traveling cotton picking tingers, gearing for effectelement to check the oxiai rotation ot said fingers,

the axial rotation or' said lingers. said delay element heini;

865,98&

4ing the rotation of said fingers'abouttheir own axes, sid

gearing including a segmental or sectional rack,and gearl elements affording driving connection between said rack and the fingers, and means for checking the driven elements of said gearing including a delay elementvtocheck tlie axial rotation of said lingers, said delay element being formed `in relatively movable sections, theI section of the delay element that is first engaged to check the rotation of the fingers being yieldingly mounted.

12. A cotton-picking machine icludin a plurality of bodily traveling cotton picking fingers, gearingr for el'ect- :ing thev rotation of said fingers about their own axes, said lgearing.:,including a segmental or sectional rnek, and gear elements affording driving' connection between saidy rack and the lingers, and lnenns for checking the driven ele block that rides open the delay element for 'the purpose v2.0

stated, .the section of the delay element that is first en-v gaged to check the rotation of the fingers being Yyeldingly mounted. i

In witness'whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 8th day of August A. D., 1906.

l JOHN F. APPLEBX.

AWitnesses:

G. L. CRAGG, LnoN G. S'rnon. 

